MRAP, Maxx, and the militarization of local police forcesWhat a Christmas little Bastrop had! It's still a mystery how Santa Claus got it down the chimney, but Bastrop got a nifty present that most children could only dream about: a big honkin', steel-clad, war toy called MRAP. But Bastrop is not a 6-year-old child, and an MRAP is not a toy. Bastrop is a Texas county of some 75,000 people, and MRAP stands for "Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected." It's a heavily armored military vehicle weighing about 1...

State government’s spare tireThere’s been a lot of talk these past few weeks about whether Arkansas ought to get rid of its current lieutenant governor, and probably not enough talk about getting rid of the office itself. The current lieutenant governor, Mark Darr, on Tuesday announced plans to stay in office despite calls for him to resign. He has agreed to pay an $11,000 fine as a result of violations he committed in the use of campaign and state funds. He says his reco...

The Natural State bowlWith the Arkansas Razorbacks out of the bowl picture again, I’ve turned to the Arkansas State Red Wolves for my home state bowl fix the past two years. They did not disappoint with a thrilling win Sunday night over Ball State in the GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile, Ala. As I watched, two things occurred to me: First, the Natural State needs to host a bowl game like the GoDaddy Bowl, and second, the Mike Ross Campaign for governor appears to be in troub...

Exposing wickedness truly AmericanIt’s the revolt of the geeks. Edward Snowden is John Peter Zenger digitized, a post-Internet free-press hero soaring above the security obsessions of the past decade to assert the inalienable requirements of individual sovereignty in a wired world. It was Zenger whose journalistic efforts to expose the wrongdoing of a colonial governor appointed by the crown landed him in jail facing the charge of “seditious libel,” quite similar to that broug...

Private option debate dominates Senate District 21 campaignWhile the special election for the District 21 state Senate seat came about because of a lapse in ethics, that seems to be a non-issue in the campaign, which will wrap up next Tuesday. The district covers the western half of Craighead County, including Jonesboro. The last-standing candidates from a vigorous primary are Republican John Cooper of Bono and Democrat Steve Rockwell of Jonesboro. Rockwell, making his first run at public office, emer...

Darr’s ethics woes show office’s flawsLITTLE ROCK — There’s a simple truth about the lieutenant governor’s office that helped get Mark Darr elected to the position more than three years ago. It’s the same truth that could spell the Republican’s doom as he grapples with a growing call to resign over his ethics woes. Without any real power attached to it, the Arkansas lieutenant governor’s influence depends more on personality than policy. It’s an office where symbolism trumps subst...

Huckabee in 2016?When Mike Huckabee spoke to a group of politically active pastors in Little Rock in December, he was asked if he is running for president again. He didn’t say no. According to a report from the statewide daily, his first response at the event, sponsored by the American Renewal Project, was that God had not yet told him if he should run. Then he said he was receiving some unexpected support and that he personally enjoyed a lot of his 2008 campa...

Another Christmas miracleA suburban Phoenix family said when they pulled their Christmas cheesecake out of the oven, it cracked as it cooled and formed a crucifix. The family members, who did not give their names to the Arizona Republic newspaper, said the crucifix is a message. They said they would not eat the cheesecake, rather sell it and donate the money to a local charity or church. • It’s an election year. So it’s no surprise this politician is boldly going wher...

A new election yearThe beginning of 2014 marks the start of another election year, although modern election cycles seem to run beyond any 12-month calendar. This also begins my last year in political office, a career that started with the 1982 election when I ran unopposed for the state Senate. Much has changed in Arkansas politics in the 32 years since then, but two realities remain true: We still need good people to stand for office and serve, and Arkansas cam...

A husband’s weird sense of humorIf you have ever had someone make the comment, “You have a weird sense of humor,” you will really appreciate what I want to tell you about in this column. One reason what I want to share is especially meaningful to me is that it fell my lot to do all the grocery shopping during my late wife’s battle with Parkinson’s. For several years we had been shopping at our local Walmart, so I just continued there because of my time limitations and the fa...

10 ways to start new year fresh It’s the beginning of a new year and a great chance to start over — but how? Here are 10 ways to gain a fresh start in 2014. 1. What’s past is past. Wipe all the disappointments of 2013 and before from your mind. What has happened before, whether by your own choices or the actions of others, cannot be changed. Any amount of dwelling and wallowing will not help. Pretend you have amnesia and that it never happened, while retaining the lessons le...

Seeking resolution solutions for 2014It’s the season for New Year’s resolutions, and here are my (mostly) sports-related ones. Why? Because I can and should. Be a resolution stereotype When I first started working at The Courier, I weighed 190 pounds and I could run seven miles. Somehow, I’ve gotten away from that. I can’t run to the mailbox and back without being winded, and I’ve gained more weight than I’d like. You ever been so fat that when you sit down you can just feel all ...

Think process; not the resultsWhat should be the focus: process or results? Your first instinct might be to say “results.” Americans are a practical people. There’s a reason the good guy in movies is always the action hero getting the job done, not the police commissioner fussing about him blowing up the town. What matters is that goals are achieved, and achievement requires flexibility, not rigid adherence to rules and procedures. But results follow processes, so truly ef...

Never too late to start upCould an aging population be good for economic growth? I mean, isn’t it an accepted fact that our economy will suffer as more Americans pass age 65 and start sitting around all day, soaking up government benefits? That’s the spiel, but many economists are not buying it. Older workers can fill in the labor gaps caused by falling birthrates. And employers often undervalue their expertise, wrongly assuming that younger is better and cheaper. Mean...

Comics page undergoing some changesBusiness decisions don’t usually mesh with popular opinion; this may be one of those times. The business decision I’m referring to is a change this week to our lineup of comics; both the daily and Sunday offerings will change. Our new daily lineup will begin on Wednesday, and Jan. 5 will feature the first run of a new Sunday comics package. The Courier is part of a larger company, and our ability to negotiate rates for features such as comics ...

Taking a look at 2013 heroesRather than look back at the top stories of 2013, let’s discuss a few people who made news because of their heroism. In some cases the heroism was a body of work, accumulated over many years and often resulting in greater good; for others a single, unexpected event brought out their courage. The best example of the former was Nelson Mandela, who died Dec. 5 at age 95. His imprisonment in 1964 became symbolic of the long struggle for equality f...

Low-impact designWe can’t live without water. We know this, but how often do we consider how our own actions might encourage or discourage healthy waterways for future generations? A few weeks ago the McElroy House Organization worked in connection with the City of Russellville’s Clean and Green Initiative to host a free LID workshop at Russellville City Hall. The workshop, led by the University of Arkansas Community Design Center Director, Jeffrey Huber, focu...

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Meredith Martin-MoatsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Progress in fighting hungerLITTLE ROCK — One of the pleasures of the holiday season comes from the joy we witness on the faces of children. However, we are also reminded of the children throughout Arkansas and America who do not lead happy, healthy lives. More than 24 percent of children in this state are uncertain whether they will have enough to eat on a regular basis. But our work never stops to improve the health of Arkansas’ children, and we end 2013 with positive ...

Top stupid stories and people of 2013The health care overhaul, Boston Marathon bombing, changeover at the Vatican, a divided Congress. Those are a few of the top news stories of 2013, according to The Associated Press. My top stories of the past year include those that are less serious in nature and mostly consist of one word — stupid. So let’s look back and laugh again at some of the top stupid stories and stupid people. Without them, we wouldn’t be in business. • If you ever ha...

Moving toward a less angry AmericaThere’s a verse, Proverbs 22:24, that says in the King James Bible, “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go.” The verse is both a warning and a command, and one Americans should heed — not just to avoid those angry men, but to avoid becoming them. There’s a lot of anger in the air these days, and because of new means of communication, it’s easy to share in that anger. This is a time of economic uncertain...